Tag: Tony Watson

Thiscommentary by Tim Benz on Pirates Talk Now is sponsored by Blush Gentlemen’s Club, Pittsburgh’s #1 Gentlemen’s Club! Blush has Happy Hour Specials and a all new Sports Bar located on the 3rd floor. Blush is located at 135 9th Street in Downtown Pittsburgh.

I’ll admit it. This is probably “the wrong” reaction to have to that Pirates 6-3 win last night in Philadelphia.

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26 days and counting until the 2017 MLB Trade Deadline and GM Neal Huntington appears to have plenty of assets to shop around to contending teams.

As we talked about last night, despite being one of the hottest players in the majors, Andrew McCutchen is a player that I believe the team should build around and not look to deal. Despite how things have gone this season, the Pirates have enough talent to contend for a playoff spot next season and trading the teams best player would just hurt that effort.

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Tony Watson undoubtedly played a significant — if, at times, unheralded — role in the Pirates making three consecutive postseason appearances from 2013-15 while ending their record string of 20 consecutive losing seasons

Serving as a set-up man to Jason Grilli, then Mark Melancon, Watson had a spectacular three-year run than included a 1.97 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 222 games and 224 1/3 innings.

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Now it’s almost certain that Tony Watson’s days in a Pirates uniform are numbered.

Considering he’s a free agent after the season and with the fact that the 32-year old has pitched a bunch of innings the last few years (3rd most appearances in the majors since 2014) its highly unlikely the Pirates would pony up what Watson will be looking for come December.

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The Washington Nationals have the best record in the National League as they get set to make their lone visit to PNC Park this season.

Though the Nationals are 24-13 going into the three-game series against the Pirates that begins Tuesday night, they are not a perfect team. Washington has yet to settle on a closer six weeks into the season and center fielder/leadoff hitter Adam Eaton sustained a season-ending knee injury last month.

NOTES: The Pirates are in last place in the National League Central, six games behind the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals, but have won back-to-back games following a six-game losing streak. The Nationals lead the NL East by 7 1/2 games over the New York Mets and have won three of their last four games. … The teams are meeting for the first time in 2017 after the Nationals won the season series 4-2 last year. The Nationals have won each of the last three season series, going 12-8. … Pirates 1B Josh Bell is 3-for-8 (.375) with a double, two home runs and three walks in his last three games. … Nationals RF Bryce Harper is 10-for-24 (.417) with two doubles, three home runs, three walks and five strikeouts in his last six games. … Cole is 2-1 against the Nationals in his career while Kuhl and Glasnow have no decisions. … Strasburg is 3-2 against the Pirates and Roark is 2-0.